weitz41

I think you double down on Lewis for right now. Miranda is playing much better, but I wouldn't say he's forced himself back on the roster just yet. Around the all-star break if both remain the same then make a switch.

I agree with most of the future moves. Gallo, I get it, but Wallner or Larnach haven't shown yet that they are much different than a lower OBP version of Gallo. Moving Kepler would make room for one or both of them and not cost the team a power threat. MAT trade. I agree with you was a good trade. Jorge Lopez trade. Was an overpay at the time. That's what happens when you trade for an all-star closer with 1/2 a season of success. Looks even worse now. Cano was not very good in his short time as a Twin. Some credit should be given to Baltimore's coaches here. a D seems fair. Paddack trade. This one I continue to not see or understand all the angst over...We traded a good set up guy and Rooker. For a starter, another BP arm and a prospect. Let's be realistic here. Rogers is a set up guy in a normal BP. Not a closer. Once he was exposed enough by the Padres his success collapsed and was eventually traded again for an actual closer. Yes, yes, Paddack got hurt, Pagan is what he is, maybe a #7-8 guy in a BP. By the end of the 2022 season Rogers #'s were just as bad as Pagans. So, we traded Roger's worst season as a pro and Rooker who was DFA'd shortly after. For two seasons of Pagan and starter who may be back from TJ this season and will be with the team thru 2025..IMO this is a C now and if Paddack gives the team 100+ innings the next two full seasons it's an ez A. Mahle trade...The elephant in the room...This one is definitely the worst of the trades. F is a fair grade. Steer and CES instead of say Solano and Castro would be preferable. My only bone to pick about this trade is the whole damaged goods argument. If you won't trade or sign players with an injury history, you may as well disconnect your phone because you don't need it. Ask the Rangers if Eovaldi/DeGrom has been worth the injury risk? Or the Yankees about Montas? No risk, no reward.. Pablo Lopez trade. With Arraez, the Twins could have the 3rd worse K rate instead of the worst? Probably still be in the top ten worst BA's and strand even more guys on base. Of course, the offense was going to suffer, but Arraez alone would not fix this hot mess of an offense. With Lopez we have a top 5 starting pitching staff. No dumpster dive starters.. Kind of like the Paddack trade. Anytime you can get the most valuable resource in baseball, starting pitching, you should probably do it. C is fair on this trade. If either of the prospects pan out or get traded for a player that improves the team the grade should go up. Overall, right now a C is where I would put it. Paddack and the prosects could raise the grade in the future. Steer, CES, Cano and the other prospects could lower the grade in the future.

I don't think Rocco is the problem. BUT with a problem this big parting ways with him shouldn't be ruled out. I do think the players are the problem. The players swing the bats, the coaches are supposed to prepare them make good decisions at the plate. One or both aren't doing their jobs. The excessive platooning is the one thing that Rocco is doing that really bugs me and I think is not helping. How do you build confidence when you don't know if or when you're playing? Then you get your 1st at bat against a reliever who throws 98 mph fastballs and a wipeout slider at you two hours after the game starts. Baseball players are creatures of habit. Platoons may have worked for the Giants for ONE season. This is not that team. Buxton, Gallo, Kepler, Jeffers and a couple others are close to them in low BA hit K rates for their MLB careers. This team was always going to be in the top 10 in K's. Tom Kelly or Rocco can't change that.

A lot of great performances on the farm today. Congrats to Blaze. Not to the game thread to see if there's any new FIRE this guy of CUT that guy!

Opener with Headrick's to follow?

Aaron Sabato isn't blowing it up but looks to be improving. His BA and OBP are higher than Gallo's. Congrats to the guys who earned a promotion and welcome to the organization Taylor Floyd (PNL from the Tyler McGill trade)

Great article Hans. I too think line up stability would help player performance and I also think the extreme platoons is not helping anyone dealing with it performance. I would think line up stability (barring injuries) would build confidence over time and platoons limited to a few positions would do the same.

Agree 100% with this but would like to add: D) Arraez would fix the offense.

I like to see Kepler and Pagan moved. I want to believe they could get a 6 or 7th inning rental for one of them. Probably have to pay their wages to make that happen. Just cutting them loose is not in this FO's DNA.

I'm not saying those are ones that they should make. Just examples or possibilities. Other than parting with Kepler and Pagan for maybe a BP arm and a lottery ticket I'd stand pat.

If anything, I'd expect a little buy and sell. Something like Polanco to the Mariners for a BP arm with years of control and a prospect or two that are in the team's top 20-30 range. Kepler for a BP arm that's having a so-so year. Maybe something like Larnach and/or Meada for an OF like the Nats Lane Thomas maybe one the Cardinal's young players or BP arms. There are possibilities. Just don't think any of the big names will happen and most of the improvement will have to come from player already on the roster.

He's been a good pickup so far. I try to keep it to two or less Twins position players on a team. I have Buxton, Polanco and Kirilloff mixed in with Correa. If my IL fills up I may have to move on from Polanco because of the injury bug just won't leave him alone this season.

I'm fine with the Buxton signing. He's on the 10-day IL not the 60 days IL like he likely would if playing the field. 2 WAR is a break even on his salary. I don't think that will be an issue. Maybe he's manning center in September and October instead of May and June. If so that's a win. Like Mike Sixel said above "Are we going to second guess every move?"

Spead sheet baseball compared to back of the baseball card statistics. Some things aren't easily categorized or measured. You would think the 8th best outfielder in Twins history would have 1 all-star appearance and a career OPS+ above 100. But I guess not.

My teams are on Yahoo, and I have picked up Correa off waivers on a couple teams in the last week hoping for the summer warm up. Buxton and Polanco are the Twins I find more frustating..

With how bad the offence has been the Twins should fear every MLB and AAA team. That being said, I truly expect the offense to improve. Not anything special, mind you, but decent offensive production. I'll give it 2-3 weeks before I worry about any specific team.

"Rehabbing Joey Gallo drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning." That's got to be a typo.😁 Doesn't he have like 4 sac flies in his entire MLB career? Plenty of nice performances on Friday.

Was wondering the same thing. Always great to see someone who you hadn't thought about in a while doing well. There are a couple catchers in the system making a little noise. Maybe it's not as bleak, in the catching dept, as it looked a year or two ago.

CR pitchers: 16Ks and 1 BB over 9 innings. That's impressive.

I might have peed myself a little on this one..Well played Stu..Well played...

I want to believe the tides will turn as well...I really want to..believe..

A trade or two would make sense, not to get help but to make room for young players and light a fire under the underperforming roster.

This offense is like a car you take to a repair shop, and they tell you it would be cheaper to buy a new one. I expected it to bad but not THIS bad... This is looking way too much like last year's team right now...

1st off. Having options that you can be hopeful about is a new thing for me. Headrick base numbers say starter to me. SWR and Blaze it's day to day on how high or low I am on them. Most of the rest look like relievers at the end of the day with their HIGH walk rates. I might try and slide Enlow in the top 7 but he needs to be promoted and earn a shot in AAA.

I get it..but the timing of this article will induce negative responses no matter how good, bad or average Lopez has been. Yes, Arraez's bat is special and should have a long shelf life. Outside of one of the two prospects being at least a quality MLB player or a Cy Young season from Lopez most will hate this trade. Arraez's is still one of my favorite players in all of MLB. I'll stop to watch his at bat no matter what jersey he wares. I still would do this trade. Arraez's arbitration salary is going to skyrocket in the next two seasons and an extension when you have Juilien, Martin, Lewis, Kirilloff, Lee, Miranda, Correa and possibly Polanco likely to fill the entire IF the next two seasons makes little sense. There is a strong argument against the trade as well. I just agree more with the for then the against.